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Pumpkin Seed Milk

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Pumpkin Seed Milk

Thanks to a giant sale on raw sunflower seeds at my local health food store, this will be a month full of sunflower recipes (starting with my homemade sunshine burgers — if you haven’t gotten the recipe yet, catch up!). But it’s already a month full of pumpkin seeds, too, as evidenced by the wonderful pumpkin seed milk I made this past weekend. Part of my weekly planning procedures when I’m especially pressed for time include whipping up at least one nut milk each weekend to use in smoothies, oats or oat bran, raw cereal or granola combos, or chiapuddings throughout the week. Usually, it’s Brazil nut milk, almond milk, or sesame seed milk. This weekend, thanks to some beautiful Austrian pumpkin seeds that were also on sale, it was pumpkin seed milk. Simple recipe:

When making nut milks, you can always strain them through cheesecloth, nut milk bags, or (as a reader recently pointed out to me) paint bags from a local hardware store. I enjoy the smooth texture and versatility of strained nut milks, so I almost always strain mine, but I also like to leave them as they are sometimes — unstrained milks are thick, rich, and far more decadent! When I tasted this pumpkin seed creation, I knew it was perfect just as it was, and didn’t want to ruin it.

The milk is absolutely divine in hot cereal, in smoothies, or in chia pudding.

Before I go, I wanted to share a recent reader question that cannot possibly be unique. Brittany wrote,

Hi Gena!

I was wondering what your opinion is on chewing gum. Is it a really bad habit because of the artificial sweeteners found in it, or is it the sort of thing where a couple of pieces of chewing gum every day are no big deal? Thank you!

Brittany

Good question, Brittany. Back in the days when I struggled horribly with IBS, I saw quite a few GI doctors before I finally found one who was compassionate, knowledgeable, and insightful. One of the first questions he asked me during our consultation was whether or not I chewed sugar free gum. I didn’t chew it very often, but I was curious as to why it was so bad: he quickly explained that the artificial sweeteners (namely sorbitol and xylitol) are very often culprits behind gas and bloating.

Beyond that, chewing gum can force us to swallow a lot of air, which in turn makes bloating worse. So it’s primarily the artificial sweeteners that make it a lousy habit (for certain people), but the chewing can be problematic, too. I’d take this a step further and say that I think there’s something psychologically suspect about constant chewing — it always seems to me as though lots of gum chewing suggests that there’s a hunger for real food that’s not being met. Food for thought, maybe

If you do want to chew gum, I’d say that xylichew, though imperfect, is probably better than a sorbitol based gum. And Glee, though it contains some sugar, is also a good alternative.

For a couple years I nearly always had a stick of gum in my mouth . . . I used to call it my “pack-a-day” habit I gave it up after I realized that my jaw was nearly always tight, I was suffering from frequent headaches (especially in the back of my head & my neck), and my stomach turned into a complete basket case from all the artificial sweetener. Since then, I’ve started to eat a lot more filling lunch foods (to combat the afternoon oral fixation/insatiable snackiness at work) and drink a lot more tea. Xylitol gums still upset my stomach, so I’m curious to see if anyone can recommend a good all-natural gum!

I’m totally not a gum person… I swear, once I got my braces off and went on a gum bender at 15, i’ve been off the stuff for a while now! Occasionally I’ll have a piece or two, but usually that lovely Glee gum when I do Hope your birthday was stellar my friend!! Let’s catch up soon!

Ah… Gum- I love it! It’s something that i can’t kick, though I never really gave it a grand effort. I find that chewing gum calms my hyper mind when I’m trying to concentrate- I have chewed it for as long as I can remember while taking a class, swim practice, running, and yes even yoga. Maybe it’s a crutch? Stress relief? Sadly I can go through a pack in a day or two- either way it’s probably a bad idea! Thanks for the insight!

i stopped chewing gum often when i “found health” as i figured the artificial flavors couldn’t be good–and probably not good to get stuck in your intestines either of swallowed! I am DEFINITELY making that mylk tomorrow. I’ll let you know my thoughts on it!

Yum, I can’t wait to try this mylk and see how it is in coffee. Interesting points on gum chewing, I stopped chewing sugar free gum because of the bloating problem. It wasn’t an easy habit to drop, chomping on a piece was helpful when work got stressful, but bloating has been a rear problem since.

according to Andreas Moritz, the mastication causes cognitive function to increase; but I still can’t bring myself to buy gum because everything I see is aspartame or sugar-based. i gave it up ages ago…

Does the pumpkin mylk taste anything like Halloween and Thanksgiving? That’s all I can seem to think of because I love the season & pumpkin pie. It would be great if this served as a small alternative!

I like chewing gum, and although I want to get myself off of it, it helps when I’m stressed out. However, after being off of it for a while I stop “craving” it. I’ve tried to minimize the amount I chew and hopefully will be off for good. Interesting what you say about the bloating and gas because that happens often and maybe this is why!

Does the pumpkin mylk taste anything like Halloween and Thanksgiving? That’s all I can seem to think of because I love the season & pumpkin pie. It would be great if this served as a small alternative!

I like chewing gum, and although I want to get myself off of it, it helps when I’m stressed out. However, after being off of it for a while I stop “craving” it. I’ve tried to minimize the amount I chew and hopefully will be off for good. Interesting what you say about the bloating and gas because that happens often and maybe this is why!

I’m typically pretty embarrassed to admit my gum obsession, but I find your blog and its readers fairly non-judgmental, so I think I can come clean with it. I have (had?) a gum problem akin to one that the average person has with cigarettes. I can chain-chew gum like no other, and have found that 1) it makes me very anxious and neurotic, 2) it only reinforces my oral fixation, 3) causes bloating like crazy. I feel that it may also promote acne, but I can’t justify this with any fact.

Since I’ve started making healthier changes in my diet, I’ve gone without it, for the most part, but occasionally have given in to gum cravings. Overall I feel like my liking for gum is similar to anyone who has an addiction. I end up feeling so much healthier and more in control of my life and body when I’m not chewing gum. It’s amazing that something so seemingly innocuous as gum can have such a negative impact on anyone’s life! When I saw that The Biggest Loser was promoting gum chewing instead of eating, I can only hope that no one with a similarly addictive personality follows their advice.

Anyhow, thanks for this post again. Also, as someone who has had a problem in the past with disordered eating, I so appreciate how you can use the words thick, rich, and decadent with no remorse. Go Gena!

Yummm those pictures made me get up and immediately make some pumpkin seed mylk to add to the tea I was sipping on. Mine didn’t have that gorgeous pink/orange hue that yours had – perhaps because I used liquid stevia instead of the dates?
It’s so funny that someone else mentioned the Biggest Loser, becausee that’s exactly what I thought of when I read this post! Just chew on some gum instead of eating, folks.. pay no mind to the bloating, cramping and gas! Ahh, nothing like shameless endorsements…

I try to have pumpkin seed milk 2-3 times a week. I read a Brendan Brazier interview abt how he combats low iron levels and apparently he chucks pumpkin seeds into his smoothies daily. For me, I don’t really like eating pumpkin seed-based raw pates, so blending up a milk is the next best thing for me. I do slip some into my chia pudding/cereals but I’m not someone who can handle eating the same thing daily.

I don’t really see the appeal in chewing gum. It sort of seems like people always need flavor in their mouth (flavored gum, flavored water, etc.) But I’m not passing judgement either! Personally, gum always made me hungry. It’s like your body is tricked into thinking it’s getting food so all of your digestive juices are released and when there’s no food…your hunger hormones are all messed up

Can’t stand gum chewers! The problem with frequent chewers is that they forget that they are chewing and this is where things become sloppy.
Have you ever watched someone chewing gum say while they are reading,texting,driving,lost in thought,etc?

It is a vile thing.

All you gum chewers take a piece of gum and stand in front of a mirror and chew. Do it for awhile,get lost in thought,maybe pluck your eyebrows,trim your nose hairs and then when you realize why you were standing there in the first place quickly glance at your mouth movements. *shudder*

Seriously I may sound fanatical about this but as a non gum chewer it is really a gross thing to watch.

*Disclaimer* I am not anal. I actually feel like I am a pretty cool and laid back person except when it comes to gum chewing.

I have heard that gum causes bloating and gas but I chew sooo much gum. I’m weird and I only chew half pieces, the whole piece is too big for me. So in actuality, I chew less gum that people might think but still, chew a LOT of gum and I don’t know if its exactly that, that causes bloating for me. I eat a lot of fibrous veggies too and well, at this point, the bloating doesn’t bother me anymore. If it’s super tight bloat, then I might decide to stop but for now, I LOVE MY GUM!

chewing gum/artificial sweeteners DEFINITELY worsens my IBS. I used to reach for them for the peppermint (which has relieving properties for gas and indigestion), but I stopped after overdosing on them like crazy… and i DO mean overdose, haha. Peppermint tea still helps me, though

quick question — how much exactly is a vanilla bean? i’ve never seen it being sold around the places i frequent, so i have no idea.

In high school one of my teachers told me she didn’t chew gum because it fools the digestion to think theres food coming, and thus giving people digestion problems. I do not know if this is so, but I stopped chewing gum then. I do on occation now, but not for long each time.

Quick question about the seed mylk: why the addition of coconut oil? Is it for flavor, a little added fat, texture, all of the above? I know coconut oil gets hard when put in the fridge and didn’t know if that helped with the mylk’s seperation when stored in the fridge.

i use to chew gum alll the time!! it was the “cool” thing to do in school lol but when i always had really bad gassy bloating problems so when i was 12 i looked it up online and found out that gum was really bad for u as well as drinking through straws, fake sugar, and drinking carbonated rinks! so i cut out gum ( haven’t chewed it for 10 years!), cut out fake sugar and havent drank soda in forever! i still get bloated but it definitely cut it down by a lot!!

People with critters should be aware that xylitol is very toxic to dogs! I chew gum with xylitol once in a while, and I’m always really careful to keep it where my dog has no chance of getting into it.

I used to be a faithful gum chewer, but the main reason was for breath freshening, as I couldn’t find a mint I liked that was strong enough. But since I started avoiding artificial sweeteners, I pretty much just keep a pack in my purse for emergencies only (i.e. when I’ve eaten at a restaurant and couldn’t control the garlic/onion factor). I’ve pretty much just conditioned myself not to be bothered by aftertastes as much. Besides, when I’m eating well, aftertastes aren’t much of an issue in the first place!

I chewed a lot of gum when I was in the throes of an ED, and I still like to have it on hand in my purse but its’ not as much of an obsession. I have heard of the link between chewing lots of sugar-free gum and IBS/bloating, etc.

This post is interesting to me because I quit chewing gum when I started eating more raw foods. I think you may be on to something with the whole not getting enough “real food” so people chew gum. I used to constantly chew gum and I know that my breath used to need it!
I realized a couple months ago that I wasn’t chewing gum anymore. I never even missed it, but I definitely relate it to going raw.

just made this with some adjustments–it’s good! mine isn’t nearly as dark as yours and i added cacao. are there different kinds of seeds? mine are green and there’s no way they’d make that orangy-color! but good!

I hope you had a very happy birthday!!
I have a quick question about storing almond/seed milk. A few days ago I tried my hand at making some almond milk for the first time (I used your recipe). It came out really good! Unfortunately, it didn’t stay for long at all! In fact, it went bad by the next day. Is there a special way to store it in the fridge, or a recommended bottle/container to keep it in?

And, I go through phases with chewing gum. I really try hard to avoid it because I start to form a huge addiction to it (think a pack or more a day….and the packs aren’t small!), not to mention, it makes my stomach burn. I always, always chew gum on planes, though, because it eases my nerves–that might sound strange but it works for me!!

Hello Gena – this is my first time commenting although I’m a long time reader. I just wanted to say that I made some pumpkin seed mylk after reading your post – and I added cacao powder. I strained it through a sieve (all I had) and it was so delicious and so easy! Thanks! I’m actually still drinking it now.

My husband has a severe pumpkin seed allergy though, so not only did he miss out, I am also not going to kiss him for a little bit, just in case!

I confess, I have a chewing gum addiction. I found it interesting to read in the comments about chewing gum and EDs. I may regret being this honest on a blog, but others honesty has inspired me. This post and the comments have made me realise a few things:

1. I chew gum partly out of anxiety- anxiety about my teeth and gums (don’t have much luck with the dentist).

2. I think I may chew after a meal because i’m not full and have a fear of feeling full. (partly associated with my IBS symptoms and partly past ED). And, unfortunately, I probably chew inbetween meals because I’m hungry.

3. I also chew as a distraction and avoidance of things I have to do.

Even though i have been in recovery from my ED for 5 years, this and many of your other posts, is slowly making me realise and acknowledge that I still have areas to work on.

Gum is one thing, I’m embarrassed to admit, I chew quite frequently. It’s strictly for breath-freshening purposes though, and I only chew 1/3 of a stick each time. The artificial ingredients freak me out and I know it’s not good for me, but I have absolutely no idea what else to do.

I have no idea why this showed up in my Google Reader NOW after so many months,but I’m thrilled it did. The milk sounds awesome. I am so nervous when it comes to making things like this, that I won’t get it right and it will be crappy. That aside I will get some seeds soon and try it. I bought a good blender recently and it’s time to put it to use!

As for gum, thanks so much for the information. I have had days when I felt so bloated and disgusting, more fat and roly poly than usual and had no idea why, this will definitely be on my “feeling extra fat today” radar.

That m”y”lk looks ridiculously good. I have never attempted nut or seed milks before, but this idea makes me realize I need to call upon my courage and just try it.

Used to chew gum like a raving lunatic, this was after I gave up the cigarettes (go figure) but then I had to give up the gum because of jaw issues. It’s for the best anyway as I don’t trust the artificial crud that’s in it.

Most gums contain sugars which promotes tooth decay.
Most gums contain artificial sweeteners such as aspertame (goes by the brand names NutraSweet and Equal, is 180 times as sweet as sugar) which is responsible for causing many illnesses including brain cancer, lukemia, inflammatory bowel disease, etc.
When you chew gum, you send your body physical signals that food is about to enter your body. The enzymes and acids that are activated when you chew gum can cause bloating and overproduction of stomach acid. Besides this, chewing gum can cause jaw muscle imbalance (if you chew on one side more than the other) and even TMJ in your jaw, which can be a painful chronic condition. The bottom line is you shouldn’t chew gum or if you do use gum, use if very rarely or right before a meal where the acid and enzyme stimulation may actually be beneficial …
This info was taken from the reputable site http://www.mercola.com. To read all the related articles just type gum chewing in the Search Mercola box. Have fun doing your own research!